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Awards given to those who saved man along Silver Comet Trail
Three weeks ago, a Cobb County man collapsed while running a race. Other runners stopped to help him until first responders arrived. This week, they were all honored.
COBB COUNTY, Ga - Phil Denson was running along the Silver Comet Trail when his heart stopped. Three weeks later, Denson was talking about the strangers who stopped to help him and the importance of knowing CPR.
Denson has been a runner for about eight years. He runs 50 miles a week and has completed 100-mile races.
On October 29, he was running the Silver Comet Marathon. He says he was at mile 18, feeling good, when he felt faint and collapsed. Other runners stopped in their tracks to help, calling 911 and performing CPR.
POLICE OFFICER REVIVES MAN WITH NO PULSE, PERFORMED CPR FOR MORE THAN 10 MINUTES
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Officer saves life of man who collapsed while running a marathon
A Powder Springs police officer is being called a hero for saving a man’s life after he collapsed during a marathon run on the Silver Comet Trail.
When Powder Springs police officers arrived, Officer Carson Yates took over until Cobb County Fire and EMS arrived with a defibrillator, shocking him back to life.
"There are paramedics all around me and they said you're the luckiest man around. I said, oh, so did I finish? They said no, no you died," said Denson.
POWDER SPRING POLICE OFFICER HELP SAVES MARATHON RUNNER’S LIFE AFTER COLLAPSE
Tuesday, Lifesaving Awards were handed out to all of those who saved Denson's life.
"If it wasn't for the actions of people in this room he'd still be dead today," said Cobb County Fire Chief Bill Johnson.
"There were about 20 people there who saved my life," said Denson.
For the first time, Denson got to meet and hug the people on the course who jumped into action to help. David Felis and Lauren Nelson who performed CPR and David Rooks who called 911.
"To hug their necks and meet them face to face today was amazing. It just seemed to me like we were family," said Denson.
Denson knows he can walk the trail now because they started lifesaving measures so quickly.
"I would have had heart damage, brain damage, it would have been a lot more grim," said Denson.
Denson can't stress enough the importance of people learning CPR. He says Felis just got certified in CPR 11 days earlier.
"You can train yourself to save someone's life. If we all learn CPR and lifesaving techniques, we can literally change the world. It's changed my world," said Denson.
For more information on CPR classes visit RedCross.org.